RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, often referred to simply as the ‘QE2’, is an ocean liner that was operated by Cunard from 1969 to 2008. She was designed primarily to run a transatlantic service from her home port of Southampton, England, to New York, USA, and was named after the earlier Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth. She was considered the last of the great transatlantic ocean liners until the construction of the QM2 was announced. Before she was refitted with a diesel power plant in 1986/87, QE2 was also the last oil fired passenger steamship to cross the Atlantic in scheduled liner service. During almost forty years of service, the QE2 undertook regular world cruises and latterly operated predominantly as a cruise ship, sailing out of Southampton, England. QE2 retired from active Cunard service on 27 November 2008.
